Synthesis of poly(maleimide)s with promising performance via Diels–Alder reaction and ring-opening metathesis polymerization

This work aims to generate maleimides to polymers via Diels–Alder reaction and ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). Maleimides were converted to adducts through Diels–Alder reactions by reacting with cyclopentadiene or furan, then these adducts were generated to the corresponding polymers via ring-opening metathesis polymerization. The chemical structures of adducts were confirmed by 1H NMR, FTIR and elemental analysis. After investigating the polymerization behaviors and properties, we found that the adducts could be converted into polymers via ROMP and affording polymers exhibited excellent performance. For example, the glass transition temperature of PBMC is 252 °C, 5% and 10% weight loss temperatures are successively 381 °C and 475 °C, and the relative dielectric constant (Dk) and dissipation (Df) at 1 Hz and 1 MHz are respectively 3.41 and 0.006, 3.35 and 0.020. Moreover, the adducts can be used to enhance other ROMP-derived polymers as the comonomers. We believe these may help researchers design and explore novel maleimides polymers and copolymers with promising properties.